Strip material coiling machine

ABSTRACT

Intermittently rotated feed rolls feed a continuous strip of sheet material past an intermittently rotated cut-off and endbending shaft cooperating with a stationary cut-off bar and a stationary wedge-shaped end-bending bar to sever, reversely bend the severed end, and feed the same to a coiling drum having thereon circumferentially spaced strip end catch bars, one of which grasps the bent end of the severed strip and couples it to the periphery of the rotating coiling drum as after a predetermined length of the strip has been measured off by a strip length measuring unit. During coiling, a crescent-shaped pivoted pressure arm prevents rumpling of the strip being wound thereon. While the severed strip is being completely wound on the coiling drum, a taping device descends and deposits a band of adhesive tape around the circumference of the coil on the drum so as to prevent it from unwinding. The intermittent motions of the rotary cutting and bending shaft, as well as that of the taping unit, are controlled and actuated by the pistons of fluid pressure cylinders which also regulate the starting and stopping of the strip feeding rolls. When the tape has been deposited, as far as is desired, around the periphery of the coiling drum, the tape roll is prevented from rotating by a braking device while the taping device is raised, thereby causing the thus-taut tape to be severed by a knife attached to the taping device. A coil ejector ring is then pushed against the inner end of the coil so as to eject it from the coiling drum.

United States Patent 1 Arens Sept. 3, 1974 STRIP MATERIAL COILING MACHINE 22 Filed: Dec. 20, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 316,987

Primary ExdminerCharles W. Lanham Assistant ExaminerRobert M. Rogers Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Willis Bugbee 57 ABSTRACT lntermittently rotated feed rolls feed a continuous strip of sheet material past an intermittently rotated cut-off and end-bending shaft cooperating with a stationary cut-oi? bar and a stationary wedge-shaped endbending bar to sever, reversely bend the severed end, and feed the same to a coiling drum having thereon circumferentially spaced strip end catch bars, one of which grasps the bent end of the severed strip and couples it to the periphery of the rotating coiling drum as after a predetermined length of the strip has been measured off by a strip length measuring unit. During coiling, a crescent-shaped pivoted pressure arm prevents rumpling of the strip being wound thereon. While the severed strip is being completely wound on the coiling drum, a taping device descends and deposits a band of adhesive tape around the circumference of the coil on the drum so as to prevent it from unwinding. The intermittent motions of the rotary cutting and bending shaft, as well as that of the taping unit, are controlled and actuated by the pistons of fluid pressure cylinders which also regulate the starting and stopping of the strip feeding rolls. When the tape has been deposited, as far as is desired, around the periphery of the coiling drum, the tape roll is prevented from rotating by a braking device while the taping device is raised, thereby causing the thus-taut tape to be severed by a knife attached to the taping device. A coil ejector ring is then pushed against the inner end of the coil so as to eject it from the coiling drum.

7 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures aaaams PATENTED W3 74 SIEEF 1 W 5 PATENTED$EP3 IBM 3,832.876

PATENTEDSEH m4 SHEEI 3 OF 5 Pmmwsm 1 sgas zuam SHEET 50$ 5 FIG. 7

STRIP MATERIAL COILING MACHINE SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention is particularly directed to the cutting and end-bending mechanism and to the coiling drum with its catch bars for intercepting the bent leading ends of the strips immediately after they are severed and bent. The invention also is concerned with the taping device for encircling the coil with a band of tape to prevent unwinding.

In the drawings,

FIG. I is atop plan view of the strip stock coiling machine of the present invention, with the taping device omitted to avoid concealing the mechanism beneath it,

FIG. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 2-2 of FIG. 1, showing the power driving mechanism of this machine;

FIG. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section taken along the line 33 in FIG. I, with the taping device raised, and showing the cut-off-bender device at the instant just prior to the start of strip coiling, after cut-off and end-bending of the strip;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section of the central portion of FIG. 3 showing the cut-off-bender device at the instant of cut-off;

FIG. 5 is a view similar to FIG. 4 but showing the cutoff-bender device at the completion of end-bending;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 1, with the taping device lowered and shown in its tape-applying position;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary top plan view, partly in section, of the right-hand end portion of the machine of F IG. 6 showing the taping device; and

FIG. 8 is a fragmentaryvertical cross-section taken along the line 8.8 in FIG. 1 showing the taped coil push-off mechanism.

GENERAL ARRANGEMENT Referring to the drawings in detail, FIGS. 1 to 6 inclusive show a strip-material coiling machine, generally designated 10, according to one form of the invention, as consisting generally of a frame structure 11 in which are mounted a power driving unit 12 (FIGS. 1 and 2), a strip material feeding and guiding unit 14, a strip cutoff and end-bending unit 16 and a strip coiling unit 18 (FIGS. 3 and 4), and a coil taping unit 20 (FIGS. 6 and 7), the latter being arranged above the coiling unit 18. A taped coil ejector unit 22 (FIGS. 1 and 8) is also arranged adjacent the coiling unit 18, but to one side thereof. Mounted adjacent to the strip material feeding and guiding unit 14 is a conventional strip length measuring device 24 wherein motion of the strip material S, such as sheet metal or plastic strip material (for example, aluminum) is used to generate pulses which are fed into a pre-determining counter, the latter being preset at the desired length of strip to be cut. Such strip length measuring devices are well known to those skilled in the strip measuring art and are available on the open market. This unit 24 has been indicated in FIG. 3 by a rectangular block in order to avoid complicating the disclosure by the showing of conventional details which are beyond the scope of the present invention. The power driving unit 12 also includes a compressed air circuit (not shown) by which compressed air is transmitted to the various reciprocatory fluid pressure motors or air cylinders as they are usually termed, employed in the machine 10.

POWER DRIVING UNIT The power driving mechanism 12 by which mechanical power, as distinguished from fluid power, is distributed to various parts of the machine 10, originates in a speed reducing electric or air motor 30 (FIG. 2), the motor 32 of which rotates output shaft 34 by way of a speed-reducing gear box 36. Keyed or otherwise drivingly connected to the output shaft 34 is a driving gear 38 (FIG. 3) which meshes with a driven gear 40 drivingly mounted on a short shaft 42 (FIG. I) which in turn drivingly engages a pinion 44 mounted thereon. The shaft 42 is journaled in a rearward intermediate vertical wall 46 of the frame structure 11 and on its rearward end is drivingly mounted a V-grooved drive pulley 48. The drive pulley 48 conveys power to a V- grooved driven pulley 50 (FIG. I.) by way of a loose V- belt 52 which can be tightened or loosened by means of a loose pulley 54 mounted on a shaft 56 which in turn is mounted on a lower arm 58 (FIG. 2) of a bell crank lever 60, which in turn is keyed or otherwise drivingly secured to a shaft 62 (FIGS. 1 and 2) journaled at one end in the rearward side wall 64 of the frame structure 11 and at its other end in a bearing bracket 65 bolted thereto (FIGS. 3 and 7). The shaft 62 also operates the taping unit 20 in a manner described subsequently below.

Mounted on the upper end of the upper arm 66 of the bell crank lever 60 is a pivot pin 68 pivotally engaged therewith and having its opposite ends mounted in a clevis 70 (FIGS. 1 and 2) which in turn is mounted on the piston rod 72 connected to a piston head (not shown) reciprocable within the cylinder 74 of a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 76. The piston rod 72 passes through the forward cylinder head 78 of the cylinder 74, the rearward cylinder head 80 of which is pivotally mounted on a pivot pin 82 pivotally engaging a bracket 84 bolted to and secured to the top wall 86 of the frame structure 11. As a consequence, when compressed air or other pressure fluid is fed to a fitting 88 in the rearward cylinder head 80 and exhausted from a fitting 90 in the forward cylinder head 78, the piston rod 72 moves rearwardly to the left (FIGS. 1 and 2), rocking the bell crank lever 60 and the shaft 62 in a counterclockwise direction, thereby swinging the lower arm 58 of the bell crank 60 and the loose pulley 54 carried thereby downward, tightening the belt 52 and, as a consequence, transmitting power from the drive pulley 48 to the driven pulley 50. Reversal of the fluid feed to the cylinder 74 moves the piston rod 70 outward to the right to swing the bell crank lever 60 and shaft 62 in a clockwise direction, moving the loose pulley 54 upward and slackening the belt 52 so as to terminate the transmission of power from the drive pulley 48 through the belt 52 to the driven pulley 59.

STRIP MATERIAL FEEDING AND GUIDING UNIT The driven pulley 50 is keyed or otherwise drivingly connected to the rearward end shaft 92 (FIG. I) of a guide roll 84 and journaled in the rearward intermediate wall 46 of the frame structure 11. The opposite end shaft 96 of the guide roll 94 is journaled in a forward intermediate wall 98 supported between the rearward end wall 100 and an intermediate cross wall 102 of the frame structure 11. A forward side wall 104 extends from the rearward end wall 100 to the cross wall 102 leaving an opening 106 between the latter and the forward end wall 108 of the frame structure 11'.

Keyed or otherwise drivingly secured to the roll end shaft 92 between the driven pulley 50 and the guide roll 94 is a drive gear 110 (FIG. 1) which meshes with an idler gear 112 loosely and rotatably mounted on a spindle 114 mounted at one end on the rearward intermediate wall 46 and extending rearwardly therefrom (FIG. 1). The idler gear 112 in turn meshes with an upper drive gear 116 (FIG. 2) keyed or otherwise drivingly secured to the rearward end shaft 1 18 of an upper feed roll 120 rotatably mounted in a rearward slide block 122 (FIG. 3). The opposite end shaft 124 is similarly mounted in a forward slide block 126. The rearward slide block 122 and the forward slide block 126 are similarly slidably mounted in parallel-sided guideways 128 in the walls 46 and 98 respectively (FIGS. 1 and 3). The slide blocks 122 and 126 are provided on their upper sides with spring guide rods 130 around which are coiled compression springs 132. The upper ends of the springs 132 engage abutments 134 in the walls 46 and 98 while their lower ends engage and urge downward the slide blocks 122 and with them the upper feed roll 120.

Mounted immediately below and parallel to the upper feed roll 120 is a lower feed roll 136 (FIG. 3), the rearward end shaft 138 of which carries a driven gear 140 keyed or otherwise drivingly connected thereto and meshing with the upper drive gear 116, the opposite or forward roll end shaft 142 (FIG. 2) of which is journaled in the forward intermediate wall 98. The strip material S (FIG. 3) passes between the upper and lower feed rolls 120 and 136 and is fed forward toward the cut-off and bending unit 16 to be described below, and passes beneath the guide roll 94 on its way to the coiling unit 18, as described below.

Immediately prior to reaching the feed rolls 120 and 136, the strip material S passes between free-running large diameter upper and lower kink-preventing rolls 144 and 146 (FIGS. 1 and 3), the roll end shafts 148 and 150 of which are journaled in the intermediate side walls 46 and 98 respectively (FIG. 1). Between the free-running rolls 144, 146 and the power-driven feed rolls or pinch rolls 120, 136 the strip material S passes between a pair of laterally-spaced side guides 152 of angle cross-section (FIGS. 1 and 3), the horizontal flanges 154 of which at their inner edges 156 extend toward one another slightly over the opposite edges E of the strip material S. The vertical flanges 158 of the side guides 152 (FIG. 3) are drilled in spaced parallel relationship to receive supporting rods 160 upon which the side guides 152 are stationarily mounted. The strip length measuring unit 24 (FIG. 3) is conveniently mounted in the space above the side guides 152. The supporting rods 160 for the latter are secured at their opposite ends to the intennediate side walls 46 and 98 respectively (FIG. 1).

STRIP CUT-OFF AND END-BENDING UNIT The strip cut-off and end-bending unit 16 (FIGS. 1 and 3 to inclusive) operates in timed relationship with the strip length measuring unit 24 and in response to the commands therefrom when the rearward or trailing end of each desired length of strip arrives at the unit 16. The latter is mounted upon and supported by an I-beam (FIG. 3), the opposite ends of which are secured to the intermediate side walls 46 and 98. Mounted upon the top of the I-beam 160 is a cut-off and bend support block 162, the upper side of which is of sawtooth cross-section with V-grooves 164 and 166. Seated in the V-groove 164 and bolted to the side thereof is a fixed wedge-shaped bending bar 168 having an upper guide face 169, a bending fulcrum edge 170 and a bending abutment face 172 disposed at an acute angle to the face 169. Bolted onto a side wall of the V- groove 166 is a fixed cut-off bar 174 with a cut-off edge 176, thereby providing an acute-angled bend B in the end of the strip S immediately after the cut-off thereof (FIGS. 4 and 5). Mounted immediately above the bending bar 168 is a strip hold-down bar 178 having its opposite ends connected to the intermediate side walls 46 and 98.

Rotatably mounted immediately above the cut-off and end-bending bars 168 and 174 is an intermittentlyrotatable cut-off and end-bending journaled in the rearward intennediate side wall 46 and with its forward end shaft 184 journaled in and extending through the forward intermediate side wall 98. Keyed or otherwise drivingly connected to the outer ends of the end shaft 184 is a gear 186 (FIGS. 1 and 6) meshing with a rack bar 188 mounted on the outer end of a piston rod 190 carrying a piston head (not shown) on its inner end within the cylinder 192 of a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 194 having forward and rearward cylinder heads 196 and 198 respectively. The forward and rearward cylinder heads 196 and 198 are provided with fittings 200 and 202 respectively for the admission and discharge of pressure fluid, such as compressed air from the forward and rearward ends of the cylinder 192 in order to reciprocate the piston rod 190 and the rack bar 188 so as to rotate the gear 186 and shaft 184 and cut-off and bending shaft in opposite directions. A guide roller 204 (FIG. 2) mounted beneath the rack bar 188 in supporting engagement therewith on a stationary shaft 206 maintains the rack bar 188 in supported engagement with the gear 186.

The cut-off and end-bending bar 180 intermediate its opposite ends is cut away for the greater part of its diameter to provide two longitudinal faces 208 and 210 disposed at obtuse angles (FIGS. 4 and 5). Beyond and to the right of the cut-off and end-bending shaft 180 an inclined bottom wall 214 (FIG. 3) extends from the support block 162 to the end wall 102 which has an outlet opening 216 therein for the passage of the strip S after cut-off and bending, on its way to being coiled. The shaft face 208 has a sharp peripheral cutting edge 218 which cooperates with the sharp cutting edge 176 of the cut-off bar 172 to sever the strip S (FIG. 4), as described below in connection with the operation of the invention.

STRIP COILING UNIT To the right of the outlet opening 216 (FIG. 3) in the end wall 102 is mounted the strip coiling unit 18. This consists of a coiling drum 220 (FIGS. 1, 3 and 6) mounted cantileverwise upon the forward end of a coiling drum shaft 222 which is journaled in the rearward intermediate side wall 46 (FIG. 1), and drivingly connected through a slipping clutch 223 for proper tension and coil tightness control to a driven gear 224 meshing with the pinion 44 on the shaft 42. The shaft 42 in turn is driven by the gear 40 from the driving gear 38 on the output shaft 34 of the speed reducing electric motor 30. The periphery of the coiling drum 220 is provided with peripherally spaced strip bent end grippers or catch bars 226, the base portions 228 of which are seated in correspondingly shaped grooves 230 extending lengthwise of the drum 220 in spaced parallel relationship. The outer ends of the catch bars 226 are provided with tangentially projecting sharp offset catch or gripper ribs 232, the opposite surfaces 234 and 236 of which are disposed at the same acute angle relatively to one another as the upper portion 176 of the bending bar I68 so that the portions 232 will intercept and snugly grip the bends B at the forward ends of the strips S and will carry them around the interrupted cylindrical periphery 238 (FIG. 3) of the drum 220, to form a coil C thereon, as shown in FIG. 6.

COIL TAPING UNIT When the strip S (FIG. 6) has been completely wound into the coil C, a tape T is deposited thereon by the coil taping unit (FIGS. 6 and 7), in order to prevent the coil C from unwinding. The shaft 62, which is journaled in the bearing brackets 65 and rear side wall 64 respectively (FIGS. 1 and 7) is rotated by the reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 76 through the bell crank lever 66 (FIG. I) not only to swing the loose pulley 54 into and out of tightening engagement with the belt 52, but also to swing the taping unit 20 into and out of proximity to the coil C when it has been completely wound. Keyed or otherwise fixedly secured to the shaft 62 are two axially spaced parallel arms 240, these arms 240 being interconnected by a crossbar 242 welded or otherwise secured thereto. Journaled in the free ends of the arms 240 is the axle 244 of a tape guide roller 246 over and around which the coil-securing tape T is passed (FIG. 6).

Loosely and rotatably mounted on the shaft 62 between the arms 242 is a sleeve or hub 248. Welded or otherwise secured to the hub 248 on the top thereof between the two parallel arms 240 is a bent arm 250 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 7), the upper forward end portion of which has a transverse arm extension 252 extending downward therefrom with its lower end disposed approximately in line with the axle 244 in its lowered position. Mounted on the lower end of the downwardly extending arm 252 is a bracket 254 on which is mounted a tape-cut-off knife 256. Also mounted on the lower end of the arm 252 is the axle 258 of a pressure roller 260 adapted to engage the tape T and the coil C as it is being wound on the coiling drum 220.

Formed in the forward side of the cross bar 242 (FIG. 7) are two laterally spaced parallel sockets 262 in which are seated the rearward ends of two compression springs 264, the forward ends of which engage and urge forwardly a slide block 266, while the slide block 266 is guided in any suitable way, as by guide rods within the springs 264. Rotatably mounted upon an axle 272 in the notched-out forward end of the slide block 266 is a longitudinally ribbed pressure roller 274 which serves to press the tape T against the tape guide roller 246.

Welded or otherwise secured to the upper forward end of the bent arm 250 is a hollow cylindrical boss or block 276 with a bore 278 therethrough. Bolted or otherwise secured to the outer side of the boss 276 is the cylinder 275 of a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 280 actuated by pressure fluid, such as compressed air,

to advance or retract a plunger 282, the piston head of which (not shown) is reciprocable within the cylinder 280. Centrally bored to receive the reduced-diameter threaded outer end portion 284 of the plunger 282 is a movable disc-shaped tape roll holder 286 held in place by a wing-nut 288. A fixed roll holder 290 is ring shaped and mounted on the boss 276. Both are peripherally grooved at 292 to receive the mounting sleeve 294 of the tape roll R and both are drilled in spaced parallel relationship to receive spaced parallel guide rods 296, the inner ends of which are seated in the boss or block 276. A compression coil spring 298 urges the movable tape roll holder 286 away from the fixed tape roll holder 290 on the inner side of the block or boss 276, whereas the fluid pressure motor 280, when actuated, causes the plunger 284 to pull the movable tape holder 286 into braking engagement with the tape roll R against the fixed tape holder 290, thereby resisting the unrolling of the tape T from the tape roll R mounted upon the peripherally grooved tape roll holders 286 and 290.

A crescent-shaped pressure arm 300 is loosely and swingably mounted at its rearward end upon the shaft 62 (FIGS. 6 and 7) and has an arcuate lower surface 302 of approximately the same average curvature as the wound-up coil C so as to bear downward against the coil C and guide the strip material S onto the catch bars 226 during coiling. The arm 300 is raised and lowered by the piston rod 302 of the cylinder 303 of a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 304 pivotally mounted on an arm 305 bolted to the frame structure 11, through the pivotal connection formed by the intermediate links 306 pivoted to the am 300 and to the piston rod clevis 308.

TAPED COIL EJECI OR UNIT The taped coil ejector unit 22 (FIGS. 1 and 8), as its name indicates, ejects the coil C from the coiling drum 220 after it has been encircled by the tape T as a result of the operation of the coil taping unit 20, as described more fully below. The rearward intermediate vertical wall 46 is provided with a pair of holes 310, the centers of which are aligned vertically with the axis of rotation of the coiling drum shaft 222 so that all three lie in the same vertical plane. Also lying in the same vertical plane are the horizontalaxes of two piston rods 312 (FIG. 8) connected at their inner ends to piston heads (not shown) reciprocable within the cylinders 315 of a pair of horizontal reciprocatory fluid pressure motors 314 also arranged one above the other and also mounted in holes 316 in the rearward wall 64 of the frame structure 11 (FIG. 1). The piston rods 312 have OPERATION Prior to the operation of the strip stock coiling machine l0 of the present invention, let it be assumed that the various fluid pressure cylinders have been connected to a source of fluid pressure, such as compressed air, through a pneumatic circuit containing suitable valves (not shown) adapted to be operated in timed relationship. Such circuits for operating compressed air motors are beyond the scope of the present invention and are well known among those skilled in the pneumatic art.

The electric motor 32 is now energized momentarily and the control valve for the fluid pressure motor 76 operated to admit pressure fluid to the forward fitting 90 and to discharge it from the rearward fitting 88, thereby retracting the piston 72 of the fluid pressure motor 76, swinging the bellcrank lever 66 and shaft 62 counterclockwise and swinging the roller 54 downward so as to tighten the belt 52 (FIG. 2). This action causes the strip stock S to be pulled through the entrance opening 330 in the end wall 100 (FIGS. 1 and 3) between the free-running rolls 144 and between the side guides 152 by the power-driven feed rolls or pinch rolls 120 and 136 and fed thereby past the strip measuring unit 24 under the cutter 180 and roller 94. At this time the taping unit is resting in its raised position shown in FIG. 3. The electric motor 32 is now deenergized.

The valve controlling the supply of presssure fluid to the cylinder 192 of the motor 194 is then energized (FIGS. 1 and 6) so as to admit compressed air to the forward fitting 200 and discharge fluid from the rearward fitting 202 thereof. This action causes the piston rod 190 and the rack bar 188 connected thereto to move inward toward the cylinder 192, rotating the gear 186 meshing therewith and the shaft 184 and rotary cut-off and bending shaft 180 in a clockwise direction.

As a result, the cut-off edge 218 moves the portion of the strip S immediately beneath it in a downward dipinion 44 on shaft 42, gear on shaft 42 (FIG. 3) and gear 38 on the output shaft 34 of the speed reduction gear box 36 connected to the motor 32 (FIG. 2) of the speed reducing driving motor 30. As a consequence, the now cut-off and bent strip S moves forward as shown in FIG. 3 until its bent end B enters one of the gaps between the catch bars or bent end grippers 228 in the coiling drum 220 and is intercepted by the offset wedge-shaped catch or gripper ribs 232 thereof. In the meantime, also, the reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 304 (FIGS. 6 and 7) has been actuated to admit pressure fluid to its upper end and discharge fluid from its lower end, thereby moving downward the piston rod 302, clevis 308, links 306 and crescent-shaped pressure arm 300 causing the arcuate lower surface 302 thereof to bear down upon the strip material S until the bent end B thereof is intercepted by one of the catch bars 22.

The rotation, meanwhile, of the coiling drum 220 winds the strip stock S around its periphery while the strip length measuring unit 24 measures the amount of strip stock S passing beneath it. When the strip length measuring unit senses that the correct length of strip stock S has been wound upon the coiling drum 220 it deenergizes the motor 32 and at the same time activates an electric circuit which in turn operates a valve admitting pressure fluid to the rearward fitting 88 (FIG. 2) of the fluid pressure motor 76 and discharging fluid from the forward fitting 90 thereof. This action causes the piston rod 72 to move outward (FIG. 6), swinging the valve crank lever 60 and rotating the shaft 62 in a rection around the bending edge 170 as a fulcrum" (FIG. 4), first bending the forward portion of the strip S, and then cutting it off at the stationary cut-off edge 176 of the cut-off bar 174. The continued rotation of the bending face 208 of the shaft 180 in a clockwise direction (FIG; 5) further bends the severed end portion of the strip S against the bending abutment face 172 of the bending bar 168, thereby producing the V-shaped bend B shown in FIG. 5 and also shown near the righthand end of FIG. 3. The valve controlling the supply of pressure fluid to the cylinder 192 of the motor 194 (FIGS. 1 and 6) is then reversed, causing pressure fluid to enter the rearward fitting 202 and be discharged from the forward fitting 200, causing the piston rod 190 and rack bar 188 to move forward into the positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 6. This action rotates the gear 186, shaft 184 and the rotary cut-off and bending shaft 180 in a counterclockwise direction back to its position shown in FIG. 3, thereby re-opening the gap between the bending edge 170 of the bending bar 168 and the rotary cut-off and bending shaft 180 for the next passage therebetween of the strip stock S.

The motor 32 is now reenergized, whereupon power is now transmitted from the motor 32 through the gear box output shaft 34, gears 38 and 40 (FIG. 3), shaft 42, pulley 48 (FIG. 2), belt 52, pulley 50, shaft 92 and guide roll 94, gear 110, idler gear-112 and shaft 114, gear 116 and shaft 118, and gear 140 and shaft 138, thereby rotating the feed rolls or pinch rolls 120 and 136 (FIG. 3). At this time also the coiling drum 220 has been in rotation by its driving connection through its shaft 222, the slipping clutch 223 (FIG. 1) gear 224,

the rotation of the drive rolls or pinch rolls and 136, and consequently halting the forward motion of the strip stock S. I

A valve controlling the admission and discharge of pressure fluid to the cylinder 275 of the reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 280 is now actuated (FIGS. 6 and 7) to move the piston rod 282 thereof outward, releasing the mounting sleeve or bushing 294 of the tape roll R for free rotation.

Cut-off and bending of the cut-off end of the strip S now proceed as described above. At the same time, the clockwise rotation of the shaft 62 swings downward the taping unit 20 in a clockwise direction into the position shown in FIG. 6 as a--result of the downward swinging of the arms 240 keyed to the shaft 62.

The motor 32 is now restarted, rerotating the coiling drum 220. As a result, tape T is unwound from the roll R and passes downward between the ribbed pressure roller 274 and the tape guide roller 246 onto the periphery of the coil C, thereby depositing a band of tape T around the coil C to prevent unrolling of the latter, the tape T being adhesive-coated so as to adhere to the coil C. In the meantime, the ribbed roller 274 (FIG. 7) has been constantly pressing the tape T against the guide roller 246 (FIG. 7) in response to the pressure of the compression springs 264 against the slide block 266 carrying the roller 274. The motor 32 is now deenergized.

When the piston rod 72 of the reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 76 is next retracted into the cylinder 74 thereof, the consequent counterclockwise rotation of the bell crank lever 60 and shaft 62 swings the arms 240 upward in a counterclockwise direction carrying with them the tape guide roller 246. Meanwhile, the supply of pressure fluid to the cylinder 275 of the reciprocatory fluid pressure cylinder 280 has been reversed by reversing its control valve so as to retract its piston rod 282 (FIG. 7). This action brings the tape holder 286 into clamping engagement with the tape roll bushing or sleeve 292 against the tape roll holder 290, thereby momentarily preventing rotation of the tape roll R. At the same time, the upward swinging of the parallel arms 240 (FIGS. 3, 6 and 7) pulls the tape T beyond the guide roller 246 upward in a taut position past the lower edge of the tape cut-off knife 256, severing the length tape T from the tape roll R which has rounded the guide roller 246 from the band of tape which has been deposited around the coil C of strip stock S wound on the coiling drum 220.

The continued upward swinging movement of the parallel arms 240 by the counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 62 causes the tape guide roller 246 to engage and move upward the bent arm 250 from the lowered position shown in FIG. 6 to the raised position shown in FIG. 3. At this time or earlier, pressure fluid is admitted to the lower end of the cylinder 303 of the reciprocatory fluid pressure motor 304 and discharged from the upper end thereof. This action raises the piston rod 302 (F IG. 6) and the crescent shaped pressure arm 300 through the intermediate action of the links 306 and clevis 308 out of engagement with the coil C of strip stock S wound upon the drum 220.

With the taping unit raised into the retracted position shown in FIG. 3 by the upward swinging of the parallel arms 240, the coil C of strip material S is now ready for ejection from the coiling drum 220. The control valve for the cylinders 315 of the reciprocatory fluid pressure motors 314 (FIGS. 1 and 8) is now operated to admit pressure fluid to the rearward fittings 328 and discharge it from the forward fittings 326, thereby moving the piston rod S 312 and the coil ejector ring 322 forward so as to engage and move the coil C axially along the coiling drum 220 until it is expelled therefrom onto a suitable receiver, such as a conveyor (not shown). The control valve just mentioned is then reversed so as to admit pressure fluid to the forward fittings 326 and to discharge fluid from the rearward fittings 328, thereby moving the piston rods 312 and the coil ejector ring 322 rearward to their retracted positions shown in FIGS. 1 and 8. This completes the cycle of operation of the machine 10, which then is repeated indefinitely.

I claim:

1. A strip material coiling machine, comprising a supporting framework,

a strip material cut-off device mounted in said framework,

a strip material end-bending device disposed adjacent said strip material cut-off device, power-driven mechanism for feeding said strip material to said cut-off device,

a rotary material coiling structure rotatably mounted in said framework and having thereon a strip material bent end gripper,

and means for alternately halting said feeding mechanism while actuating said cut-off and end-bending devices and for activating said feeding mechanism while halting said cut-off and end-bending devices,

said cut-off device including a fixed cut-off member and a power-driven rotary cut-off member disposed adjacent said fixed cut-off member, said rotary cut-off member comprising an elongated rotary shaft having an elongated cutting edge fixed thereon and rotatable unitarily therewith into shearing cooperation with said 'fixed cut-off member to effect strip cutoff therebetween in response to rotation of said shaft and also having a cutaway portion therealong extending approximately diametrically thereacross.

2. A strip coiling machine, comprising a supporting framework,

a strip material cut-off device mounted in said framework,

a strip material end-bending device disposed adjacent said strip material cut-off device,

power-driven mechanism for feeding said strip material to said cut-off device,

a rotary strip material coiling structure rotatably mounted in said framework and having thereon a strip material bent end gripper,

and means for alternately halting said feeding mechanism while actuating said cut-off and end-bending devices and for activating said feeding mechanism while halting said cut-off and end-bending devices,

said cut-off device including a fixed cut-off memher and a power-driven rotary cut-off member disposed adjacent said fixed cut-off member, said rotary cut-off member comprising an elongated rotary shaft having an elongated cutting edge fixed thereon and rotatable unitarily therewith into shearing cooperation with said fixed cut-off member to effect strip cutoff therebetween in response to rotation of said shaft and also having a cutaway portion therealong extending approximately diametrically thereacross, said cutaway portion having an approximately radial bending surface with a sharp peripheral cutting edge cooperable with said fixed cut-off member, I said end-bending device having a fixed bending abutment member cooperable with said radial bending surface following cut-off of the strip material by said rotary and fixed cut-off members.

3. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 2, wherein said fixed bending abutment member has a strip material guide surface disposed adjacent the strip material, and also has an end-bending abutment surface disposed at an acute angle to said guide surface.

4. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 1, wherein said coiling structure includes a rotary shaft with a generally cylindrical body operatively connected thereto, and wherein said strip material bent end gripper includes a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced axially elongated gripping members disposed on the periphery of said body.

movably mounted adjacent said coiling structure for motion toward and away from said coiling structure and has a concavely arcuate strip-engaging surface thereon, a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor having a piston operatively connected to said pressure-applying member being provided for moving said pressureapplying member toward and away from said coiling structure. 

1. A strip material coiling machine, comprising a supporting framework, a strip material cut-off device mounted in said framework, a strip material end-bending device disposed adjacent said strip material cut-off device, power-driven mechanism for feeding said strip material to said cut-off device, a rotary material coiling structure rotatably mounted in said framework and having thereon a strip material bent end gripper, and means for alternately halting said feeding mechanism while actuating said cut-off and end-bending devices and for activating said feeding mechanism while halting said cut-off and end-bending devices, said cut-off device including a fixed cut-off member and a power-driven rotary cut-off member disposed adjacent said fixed cut-off member, said rotary cut-off member comprising an elongated rotary shaft having an elongated cutting edge fixed thereon and rotatable unitarily therewith into shearing cooperation with said fixed cut-off member to effect strip cutoff therebetween in response to rotation of said shaft and also having a cutaway portion therealong extending approximately diametrically thereacross.
 2. A strip coiling machine, comprising a supporting framework, a strip material cut-off device mounted in said framework, a strip material end-bending device disposed adjacent said strip material cut-off device, power-driven mechanism for feeding said strip material to said cut-off device, a rotary strip material coiling structure rotatably mounted in said framework and having thereon a strip material bent end gripper, and means for alternately halting said feeding mechanism while actuating said cut-off and end-bending devices and for activating said feeding mechanism while halting said cut-off and end-bending devices, said cut-off device including a fixed cut-off member and a power-driven rotary cut-off member disposed adjacent said fixed cut-off member, said rotary cut-off member comprising an elongated rotary shaft having an elongated cutting edge fixed thereon and rotatable unitarily therewith into shearing cooperation with said fixed cut-off member to effect strip cutoff therebetween in response to rotation of said shaft and also having a cutaway portion therealong extending approximately diametrically thereacross, said cutaway portion having an approximately radial bending surface with a sharp peripheral cutting edge cooperable with said fixed cut-off member, said end-bending device having a fixed bending abutment member cooperable with said radial bending surface following cut-off of the strip material by said rotary and fixed cut-off members.
 3. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 2, wherein said fixed bending abutment member has a strip material guide surface disposed adjacent the strip material, and also has an end-bending abutment surface disposed at an acute angle to said guide surface.
 4. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 1, wherein said coiling structure includes a rotary shaft with a generally cylindrical body operatively connected thereto, and wherein said strip material bent end gripper includes a multiplicity of circumferentially spaced axially elongated gripping members disposed on the periphery of said body.
 5. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 4, wherein said gripping members have gripping portions projecting tangentially therefrom in the direction of rotation of said body.
 6. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 5, wherein said gripping portions have outer and inner surfaces disposed approximately at acute angles to one another.
 7. A strip material coiling machine, according to claim 1, wherein a strip pressure-applying member is movably mounted adjacent said coiling structure for motion toward and away from said coiling structure and has a concavely arcuate strip-engaging surfacE thereon, a reciprocatory fluid pressure motor having a piston operatively connected to said pressure-applying member being provided for moving said pressure-applying member toward and away from said coiling structure. 